Why Fushimi Inari Shrine is special ?

Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari Taisha) is famous for its thousands (over 10,000) of closely-spaced orange torii gates that wind over the hills of Inariyama beyond the entrance to the shrine.

Inari shrines honor the patron deities of agriculture and business, ensuring a constant stream of worshippers and the individual torii are donated by merchants hoping to get ahead in business and replaced every 10 years. The black kanji lettering on each torii indicates the name of the donating company and is a subtle means of advertising!

Y0u will notice dozens of small statues around the shrine of the fox (kitsune) - the messenger of Inari.

The Inari is thought to be the protector of grains, in particular rice and thus sake. In Japan, that meant wealth. Even today the rich, and officials from companies, come to pay their respects.

What to explore at Fushimi Inari Shrine?

Fushimi Inari is noted for its remarkable sight of some 10,000 small torii (shrine gates) that arch over a long path up the hill behind the shrine. It takes about two hours to walk along the whole trail, and there are nice views of Kyoto from the top.

Donated and inscribed by businesses and individuals thankful for their prosperity, the long tunnel of torii is one of the most iconic visions of Kyoto.

If possible, visit Furshimi Inari near dusk — you'll be much more likely to wander alone through the tunnels of torii in the quiet woods, which is a magical experience as daylight fades.

Foxes are said to be the messengers of Inari, and stern bronze foxes (kitsune) can be seen throughout the shrine. Inari's foxes are generally considered helpful, but they have also been said to bewitch people. The keys that some of them hold in their mouths are for the rice granaries.

Along the hiking trail, small restaurants serve KitsuneUdon ("Fox Udon"), a noodle soup topped with pieces of aburaage (fried tofu), a treat favored by foxes. You can also try Inari sushi, which is fried tofu wrapped around sweetened rice.

How to get to Fushimi Inari Shrine?

Fushimi Inari Shrine is located just outside JR Inari Station, the second station from Kyoto Station along the JR Nara Line (5 minutes, 140 yen one way from Kyoto Station, not served by rapid trains). The shrine can also be reached in a short walk from Fushimi Inari Station along the Keihan Main Line.

Tips for you

You should look on the back of each gate to see who paid for it and what year it was made. You can spot the names of lots of famous Japanese companies.

Things to do

Rest stops with seating areas, snacks, water, and toilets are located at several points along the path.

Service

Along the hiking trail, there are small restaurants servingKitsuneUdon ("Fox Udon"), a noodle soup topped with pieces of aburaage (fried tofu), a treat favored by foxes. You can also try Inari sushi, which is fried tofu wrapped around sweetened rice.

Food

There are also several tea houses, where you can purchase cups of hot sake (Japanese rice wine).

Drink

You should have some comfortable walking shoes especially if you are keen to see it all.

What to wear

If you have only limited time or don’t feel like walking a lot, you should go up as far as to the “Okuno-sha” shrine.

Experience

It’s better to bring insect repellent if you intend to go to the very top of the shrine. There are a lot of mosquitoes lurking around trying to get a bite.

What to bring

You need to have about 3-4 hours to give yourself enough time to go up to the top.

Timming

Once you get to the main gate, you'll see lots of maps with the routes up and down the mountain. Therefore, you don't need to worry about getting lost.

Safety

On 8 April there’s a Sangyō-sai festival with offerings and dances to ensure prosperity for national industry.

Events

Reviews

This is a site you can't miss in Kyoto. The Golden Pavilion and Nijo castle is already too cliché. This became noted in that movie "Memoirs of a Geisha" and best to video your girlfriend/wife/daughters running through the gates for fun and family bonding. There is always a lot of people so just pick your spot so as not to look crazy. The Tori gates are offerings to the Mountain which happens to be their god. This is a Shinto temple for business. Maybe that's why the Japanese are rich in business. No need to get a guide or tour because it is like willingly throwing away money. Just get a taxi and walk after. The entrance is free of charge and no parking fee. If you are not Shinto then don't do offering as well. Don't forget to piture the Tori gates and the offerings because they are pretty. There is a fortune telling stone which can be used for experience or fun/curiosity and any donation will do like even half a US dollar. Then one can eat at the market beside the shrine for cheap since they are used to selling to locals. Why not find a tourist wearing a rented Geisha/Maiko or Samurai costume and ask politely for a free picture. Perfect. Who needs an expensive tour?

definitely do not miss!
we had a short amount of time in kyoto last fall and i'm SO glad we didn't miss this shrine. it's one of my favorites! i didn't realize the hike would take 2+ hours (i'm a slow walker), so unfortunately, we didn't schedule enough time to get to the top. and the maps are a bit deceiving, albeit pretty, but not exactly scaled correctly. so while we were hiking we thought we were making good progress, but in reality, we only made it like 1/3 the way up, lol!
not sure i can add to what's already been said, but all in all the gates are incredibly beautiful! but do plan your day to allow time to hike to the top. when you're done, there's a small street of food vendors, so you can try local quail and other yummy treats before heading off to the next shrine! :)restaurant along the top if you want to get some snacks or grab a bite. Plenty of areas to pay your respects and get souvenirs.